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THE HINDU TRIAD
Bhagavan
The most explicit form of monotheistic worship of the personal God Svayam
Bhagavan (IAST svayam bhagavān), "The Lord" or Lord Himself, is a Sanskrit
theological term. The term refers to the concept of absolute representation of the
monotheistic God as Bhagavan within Hinduism, while other sects tend to
assume the existence of a singular God, but not necessarily with aspects of a
personality but rather envisaged as an impersonal Absolute (Brahman).
There is always controversy over who is superior among the Hindu triad
Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva. Almost all myths, though, agree upon Brahma
being the creator among the three. Of the other two, Vishnu is the preserver
while Shiva is the destroyer. Nevertheless, Shiva, who is usually symbolized by
a phallic stone, is also acknowledged as a creator in conjunction with his female
consorts who are accepted as the feminine power complementing his male
potency.
Brahma is the equal of the other two gods in the Trimurti of Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva. He is the god of wisdom and the belief is that the four
Vedas were delivered from each of his four heads. The Vedas are at the apex of
all Hindu scriptures. They are texts that are derived directly from the gods and,
as such, are indisputable. Brahma's heaven is believed to contain in a superior
degree all the various splendors of the heavens of the other gods.
Brahma has red skin and wears white clothes. He rides on a goose. He has four
arms. In one arm he carries the Vedas, in another a scepter, in a third a
komondul (a special type of water jug that is stilled used by Hindus during
worship), and in a fourth a bow or, variously, a string of beads or a spoon. As
mentioned earlier in this text, Brahma has four heads. In this, Shiva who has
five, outdoes him.
Brahma generated a female partner, generally acknowledged as Saraswati,
out of his own substance. She is his daughter as well as his wife. Of her he gave
birth to the human race. Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of wisdom and
learning. Her initiation by Brahma at the beginning of all is symbolic of the
maximum important knowledge and wisdom is to all beings.
Earlier myths, though, acknowledge Yama and his sister Yami as the creators
of the human race. Hindu myths have changed progressively over time. While
very early myths often attribute one particular god or goddess with a particular
earthly phenomenon such as the creation of humanity, later myths may choose a
totally different deity for the same task.
Brahma also generated Daksha, a great Hindu sage, producing him out of his
thumb. Daksha later became the chief of the prajapatis. The prajapatis are sages
associated with Brahma's various creative endeavors.
The Vedantas (conclusions to the Vedas) consider Brahma to be the "Creative
Aspect" of the Nirguna Brahman. The Nirguna Brahman is that which is
neither attributable nor has any attributes. It is the ultimate godhead of
Hinduism. Brahma is the aspect of the Brahman that is perceivable to
humans. While this is true of all the other gods and goddesses, in Hindu
creation myths that attribute Brahma with the creation of the human race,
Brahma is the most superior among these humanly perceivable gods and
goddesses. It is noted that while direct perception by common humans may
not be possible, these gods and goddesses do have attributes and are
attributable, which assists in their humanly meaningful portrayals. This, in turn,
assists in human worship, which requires description. The Nirguna Brahmin,
in contrast, is neither describable nor conceivable and, thus, not capable of being
worshiped by common humans who have to approach it through its earthly
perceivable representatives god and goddesses such as Brahma and
Saraswati.
In India, even from ancient times, there are very few temples erected exclusively
to Brahma. The myth that explains this strange neglect varies but it is generally
agreed that a god or goddess whom he somehow angered cursed Brahma.
Shiva's devotees agree upon one such specific myth. It goes thus.
At one time in the past, the two of the Hindu triad -- Brahma and Vishnu
began an argument on who the most powerful of the triad was. The argument
became so heated that the other gods asked Shiva, the third of the triad, to
intervene. Shiva assumed the form of a gigantic lingam (the phallic symbol
of Shiva that depicts him as a creator). The lingam was of flaming fire and it
went up to the heavens and descended into the nether regions underneath the
earth. Both Brahma and Vishnu agreed that if they could find how enormous
the fiery lingam was they could determine who among the triad was the most
powerful. Brahma took the form of a swan and went upwards along the length
of the ascending lingam while Vishnu assumed the form of a boar and
descended along the lingam into the nether regions.
Both went on and on but neither could reach the ends. Vishnu, being very
clever, realized that he had been outdone by Shiva and came back to
acknowledge Shiva as the greatest of the triad. Unfortunately, Brahma
decided that he could get past Shiva with trickery. On his ascent to determine
the end of the upper part of the lingam, Brahma had passed the ketaki flower
(Pandanus odorifer). Brahma requested ketaki, who was used to inhabit the
upper end regions of the lingam, to testify before Shiva that he, Brahma, had
reached the uppermost end. Ketaki agreed and, when brought before Shiva, the
flower told Shiva that he had observed Brahma reach the upper end of the
lingam.
Shiva was angered at this lie. He cursed Brahma with the horror of not ever
being worshiped on earth while he also cursed the flower with the depressing
eternal condition of never ever being used in any Hindu worshiping rituals.
There are other more colorful versions of this same myth. One testifies that
Saraswati, who Brahma himself had created, was a goddess of learning and
wisdom and did not want to be associated with carnal desire. She was a symbol
of sublime purity. Brahma though, when he began to feel the overpowering
influence of the goddess's ethereal beauty, could hardly contain his passion.
Saraswati soon realized what was going on in her creator Brahma's mind.
She changed forms to elude his inflamed overtures but he kept pursuing her and
would not give up. Saraswati was afraid that his salacity would initiate sorrow
on earth and on all beings. It is to be remembered that Brahma had first been
created and had then created Saraswati. This was the time of the beginning of
all that was and is.
There was only sublimity then without what Saraswati understood as the
defilement that was carnal desire. So Saraswati's care not to get defiled
by Brahma's sexuality must be accepted as concern for all beings that were to
be. Finally, unable to contain the amorous god, Saraswati, in great anger,
cursed him with an eternity of scant worship by all beings.
However, since we are here now, we must understand that Saraswati was
reconciled enough with Brahma to enable him to create the human race in
partnership with her. It is also notable that, akin to the fall of Adam from the
grace of God and the subsequent loss of Eden, the lust of Brahma signifies the
downfall of humanity. Hinduism believes that basic desires hinder total
salvation from the cycle of births and rebirths. Total salvation, in Hinduism, is
the reconciliation of the individual soul with the Nirguna Brahman, of which
everything is as well as is not.
It is symbolic that the God that was the first manifestation of the Brahman fell
prey to that which prolongs separation from the Brahman. So it is that creation
succeeded through the fall of Brahma and Saraswati from absolute sublimity.
The curse brought upon Brahma this uncommon human neglect. In contrast,
Brahma's colleagues in the triad, Vishnu and Shiva, have innumerable
temples dedicated to them all across India. The most famous and well known
Brahma temple in India is at Pushkar in the desert state of Rajasthan. One
other at the other end of India, the South, is at Kumbhakonam. Few other
significant Brahma temples in India come to mind.
Brahma is treated better on the Indonesian island of Bali, which has a sizable
Hindu population. He is much favored and large, splendid temples are erected to
him wherein he is regularly and devoutly worshiped. The Indonesians practice a
particular sect of Hinduism, called Agama Hinduism. Brahma, here too, is
acknowledged as the first manifestation of the Brahman and the creator of all
else that is.
Sanskrit grammar uses "Brahma" as the nominative singular of the generic
neuter "Brahman." Brahman is the "Supreme Cosmic Spirit" of the universe
in Hindu theology though it would be wrong to depict it as a spirit because, in
absolute essence, it is without any attributes. In the native languages, there is a
slight intonation on the last consonant "a" in the god Brahma's name.
VISHNU
Vishnu is regarded as a major god in Hinduism and Indian mythology. He is
thought as the preserver of the universe while two other major Hindu gods
Brahma and Shiva, are regarded respectively, as the creator and destroyer of
the universe.
The original worship of Vishnu, by the Aryan conquerors of India or the
original Dravidian inhabitants is not definitely known. In the ancient Vedas, the
body of literature known as the Veda, and sacred literature of the Aryan
conquerors, Vishnu is ranked among the lesser gods and is usually associated
with the major Vedic god Indra who in the epics and Puranas fights against
dragons and demonic forces. These latter writings emerge during the later
development of Hinduism.
It is throughout this literature and especially through incarnations that
Vishnu is raised to higher rankings within the Hindu pantheon. He becomes
the prominent second god of the Trimurti, the Hindu Triad, while Brahma is
first and Shiva is third.
In some Puranic literature Vishnu is said to be eternal, an all-pervading spirit,
and associated with the primeval waters that are believed to have been
omnipresent before the creation of the universe.
The concept of Vishnu being the preserver of the world came relatively late in
Hinduism. Presumably it sprang from two other beliefs: that men attain
salvation by faithfully following predetermined paths of duty, and that powers of
good and evil (gods and demons) are in contention for domination over the
world. When these powers are upset Vishnu, it is further believed, descends to
earth, or his avatar, to equalized the powers. Further it is thought that ten such
incarnations or reincarnations of Vishnu will occur. Nine descents are said to
have already occurred, the tenth is yet to come. Rama and Krishna were the
seventh and eighth.
Another interesting speculation concerning Vishnu's role as preserver among
many modern scholars is that it is characteristic of the practitioners of Hinduism
to raise local legendary heroes to gods in the Hindu pantheon.
Vishnu is portrayed as blue or black shinned and has four arms. He has a
thousand names and their repetition is an act of devotion.
Shiva The third deity of the Hindu triad of great gods, the Trimurti. Shiva is
called the Destroyer (of evil), but has also the aspect of regeneration. As
destroyer he is dark and terrible, appearing as a naked ascetic accompanied by a
train of hideous demons, encircled with serpents and necklaces of skulls. As
auspicious and reproductive power, he is worshiped in the form of the shivling
or shiva linga (lingam).
Shiva is depicted as white, with a dark-blue throat, with several arms and three
eyes. He carries a trident and rides a white bull. His consort is Parvati (Devi).
Out of many gods within this tradition, contemporary Hindus worship mainly
three "gods." This Hindu "Trinity" bears a striking similarity to the personalities
of the Christian Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Brahma, the creator;
Vishnu, the savior; and Shiva, the destroyer and restorer. This Hindu "trinity"
works to carry out the continual creation.
Brahma would relate to the Christian "Father." Though Jesus is considered
"Creator" by most Christians, ultimately, the Father is "creator."
Jesus represents the "word of his power"-speaking the will and word of the
Father causing creation to happen.
Vishnu has an obvious connection to Jesus as Savior. That Hinduism
considers the need for a savior was a revelation to me. Some Christians might
question the validity of this connection. But when "Jesus" is recognized
primarily as the "nature" and personality of God-the name itself being only
phonetic-then the stretch becomes tenable.
Shiva connects to the Christian "Holy Spirit." It is said of the Christian
God: "You turn man to destruction, and say, 'Return, you children of men"
(Psalm 90:3). Early twentieth century Christian writer Oswald Chambers,
referring to this facet of the nature of God said, "God destroys unto salvation."
This polarity was considered by the prophet Hosea, sent to ancient Israel:
"Those who dwell under his shadow shall return…" (Hosea 14:7). The
Benjamite and apostle Paul saw the destructive power of God and his call to
return: "For God has committed them all to disobedience, that he might have
mercy on all" (Romans 11:32). St. Paul so trusted the nature of God to pull
this off he stated dogmatically: "And so all Israel shall be saved" (Romans
11:26).